


Say you won't let go

by zephyr_ink



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Enemies to Lovers, Getting to Know Each Other, How Do I Tag, Inspired by Confessions of a shopaholic, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, There will be fluff, major character development coming up, mention of depression, no prior knowledge of the book is needed, shopaholic Victor, shopping addiction
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-05
Updated: 2018-01-05
Packaged: 2019-02-28 20:20:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,558
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13279155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zephyr_ink/pseuds/zephyr_ink
Summary: Victor keeps staring at Katsuki.Even though he tries not to pay any attention to the japanese man if he can help it, sometimes he is impossible to ignore. He has, in fact, a truly terrible sense of fashion and he stands out spectacularly from the crowd of suit-clad employees. Like today: he is wearing yoga pants and a sweater that’s probably two sizes too large andare those sneakers?---Confessions of a shopaholic AU where Victor is the Finance Director of his father’s multinational corporation but is also a compulsive shopper and Yuuri is the new junior developer who is somehow roped into helping him.





	Say you won't let go

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! I love Yuri on Ice, and this is the first fic I post on ao3.  
> I was reading “Confessions of a shopaholic” by Sophie Kinsella, and this happened lol. The fic is only inspired by it though, and the plot is completely different.
> 
> It’s an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers sort of story. Keep in mind that this is not beta-ed and that English is not my first language.
> 
> Enjoy! Please leave kudos or comments if you like it!

It’s just another gloomy Monday morning in London. It’s 8.38 am and Victor is on his way to the office, when a light breeze makes his carefully styled bangs flutter. With an annoyed huff he stops in front of a shop window to check his reflection and fix his hair, but as soon as his eyes focus on what is actually inside the shop, he knows he’s made a terrible mistake.

Because it’s _Burberry_.

(Victor adores _Burberry_ )

Not only that, but they are also displaying their new autumn collection.

Victor should definitely keep walking and go to work like a responsible Finance Director. He does care about the company, after all, despite what everyone else seems to think. Not to mention the fact that his father would have a heart attack if he knew that Victor was standing in Oxford Street, eyeing some of the most expensive winter wear in the world.

The thing is: a few months ago, when he was still leading a sensible lifestyle, he would have been able to afford it. Now? Not so much. He’s deeply in debt and he has promised to cut back on his expenses, especially after last week’s _“Incident”_.

In this situation the mature thing to do would be to turn around, walk away and forget all about trench coats and leather bags, and, to his credit, he almost does. At the very last second, though, he glimpses a particularly fluffy-looking scarf and that’s the moment when his body freezes in place, paralyzed.

The scarf is long, made of grey check cashmere with frayed edges and looks incredibly soft.

Victor suddenly feels like he’s underdressed in this very chilly weather and he tugs up the collar of his coat, trying to cover his exposed neck.

In the back of his mind a voice (suspiciously resembling Yakov’s) tells him that he doesn’t actually need a scarf, that he never feels cold, no matter what he wears, and that _he's Russian for Heaven's sake_. But even as he thinks that, he can already feel the thrills of excitement and anticipation that always come with the shopping. At his sides, his hands itch to stroke the cashmere.

So Victor tunes out the voice and with a big smile on his face he all but walts into the shop. He comes out an hour later with the scarf around his neck and a shopper full of new clothes hanging from his arm.

Yakov is probably going to kill him.

 

\---

 

As soon as Victor arrives in his office, he shoves his purchases under his desk, guilt only slightly washing over him at the sight of a corner of the _Burberry_ shopper peeking out.

His phone chimes, notifying him of a new text message. He cringes when he reads it: it’s a message from Yakov, saying that they need to talk as soon as possible.

Victor has a feeling he knows exactly what they’re going to talk about and he isn't looking forward to it. He has heard the same lecture about his “compulsive buyer disorder” five times now, or was it eight? It usually ends up with Yakov talking his ear off and Victor pretending to listen and promising to go see a therapist.

Lost in thought, his eyes wander to the crowd of employees in the corridor on the other side of the glass partition, and he catches sight of tousled jet black hair. His eyes narrow and all thoughts about Yakov are instantly forgotten.

The new junior developer. Katsuki.

The Japanese man is the new addition to the company’s data development team and Victor is still trying to figure out how he has managed to become his father’s all-time favorite employee in less than three weeks.

To Victor, he just seems an unsociable and skittish sort of guy. He really can’t understand why his father and current CEO, Alexander Nikiforov, is constantly praising the man, with some variation of “Katsuki’s so smart, he even fixed my computer, is there anything he can’t do?” or “He’s so kind, he brought me home-baked muffins, can you believe it?” and that always ends with “Victor, can you try to be more like him?”. It’s really annoying and maybe that is why Victor resents the guy and tries to avoid him if he can help it.

Sometimes, however, the Japanese man is impossible to ignore. He has, in fact, a truly terrible sense of fashion and he stands out spectacularly from the crowd of suit-clad employees. For example today he is wearing yoga pants and a sweater that’s probably two sizes too large and _are those sneakers_?

Victor hasn’t realized he’s still staring when the guy turns around and their eyes meet. Victor tries to keep a neutral expression but he can’t help feeling something warm and fuzzy flutter in his chest, because even though the Japanese man is clearly a fashion disaster, he also has the most beautiful pair of brown eyes that Victor has ever seen. They're wide and expressive and they are the loveliest shade of brown.

However, the Japanese man quickly looks away and tries to duck out of sight behind the dark-skinned employee he had been talking to.

Victor doesn’t have the time to dwell on that, though, because someone clears their throat and effectively snaps him out of his daze.

It's Chris. He’s already come in the office and he’s sitting on the other side of his desk, with a file in his hands and a knowing grin on his face.

“He's cute, isn't he?” he asks.

“Who?”

“Yuuri, of course.”

Victor frowns.

“Yuri? Yakov’s nephew?” he asks, confused.

“Not that Yuri,” Chris snorts. “The other one, the developer. You know, the one you were checking out when I came in.”

Victor blinks. He had almost forgotten that Yuuri was Katsuki’s first name too.

“Iwasn’tcheckinghimout” he says a little too quickly, and Chris’ grin only widens.

“So,” Chris continues, stretching in his chair and resting his feet on top of Victor’s desk. “Are you going to ask him out?”

Victor tries to bat Chris’s feet away from him and scoffs. “Oh come on, you can't be serious. I mean, have you looked at him?”

“Oh, yes, I have.” Chris replies with a smirk.

Victor sighs. He honestly doesn’t want to have this conversation.

“I’m just saying, he's really into you,” Chris goes on.

“What makes you think that?”

“I've seen the way he looks at you, Victor, and let me tell you: that man has a crush on you.”

“Oh, please. He never even looks at me, Chris. He literally looks at everything and everyone except me.”

“Exactly” Chris says emphatically.

Viktor rolls his eyes.

“Look,” Chris says with a sigh. “I’m going to tell you something, but it has to stay between us. Okay?” he asks, and Victor nods.

“Do you remember that I was the one who recruited him? Well, during his interview I asked him why he wanted to work for us and he said that he came here because you've been his inspiration ever since he was in high school. He said that he looks up to you, that he admires your work ethic and the results that you produce, and that he wants to become a part of your team. Do you know what that means?”

There’s a pause before Chris continues.

“He wouldn’t even be here if it wasn’t for you, Victor.”

Oh. _Oh_.

Yuuri's words actually do hint at him having some sort of infatuation for Victor.

It's not uncommon, a lot of people are in love with Victor. Well, not with _him_ , but with the _idea_ of him, his good looks, his success, his inheritance.

“That doesn’t change anything.” Victor says. 

He means it. The fact that Yuuri admires him from afar doesn’t make him any different from his other fans, who constantly try to catch his attention. They all assume that Victor is some kind of god in the financial sector and that his life must be exciting and glamorous while in reality it’s plain and boring. 

No one outside Victor’s small group of friends really makes an effort to go past the surface, to see him as more than the son of industrialist and businessman Alexander Nikiforov. No one cares about the fact that he enjoys watching competitive figure skating competitions or that he prefers to play with his dog instead of reading the financial times. 

Most of the time he manages to ignore the loneliness and the ache in his chest, but it’s getting harder and harder these days to the point where it's almost unbearable. Sometimes he thinks that there must be something wrong with him and that that’s the reason why he just can’t connect with other people or have a functioning relationship with a partner. It’s like being underwater and watching reality through the water’s surface. 

He had thought that his last boyfriend was the one who would break the cycle, but it turned out that wild sex and lavish dinners and fancy couple photo shoots for the cover page of _Vogue_ and _Marie Claire_ , while enjoyable, do not make him happy. 

He remembers being happy when he was younger and without a care in the world, in his grandparents’ cottage in Russia, or the day when he got Makkachin and even the day he graduated, when the world seemed so colorful and full of possibilities. Now, everything is bleak to his eyes. 

“So, does that mean that you’re not interested?” Chris asks. “If you’re not, I might make a move on him myself, you know.” 

Victor sighs, swiveling in his chair to look out of the window at the gloomy sky and grey buildings of Canary Wharf. 

“Sure, go ahead. Don’t worry about me, I’m not that desperate to get laid, Chris. Besides, I have standards. I could never be with someone like him. Have you seen what he’s wearing today?”

“Victor don’t-”

“Can you believe the audacity of that man to show up here dressed like that? It's unacceptable. Someone has to remind him that there are such things as protocols and work appropriate attire. And don't get me started on those hideous glasses, they make his eyes look way too big-”

“Victor, that's enough”, Chris hisses in a warning tone but Victor doesn’t stop.

“You know what? He’s probably manipulating my father in order to bend company rules. Or maybe he's just trying to get something out of him. Either way, he's deceiving him, I'm sure of it.”

An uncomfortable silence follows his words, and when he spins back to look at Chris he realizes that they're not alone in the office. 

Someone else is standing on the other side of the desk, besides Chris, holding a tall stack of papers. Someone with blue-framed glasses and a broken look on his face.

It’s Yuuri Katsuki.

Victor’s first thought is: _Why the hell is Yuuri Katsuki in his office?_ Katsuki works in the IT department down the corridor and they both make it a point never to interact with one another. Celestino Cialdini, head of the IT department, is usually the one who mediates between the two of them if necessary.

His second thought is: _Shit_. Yuuri has probably heard everything because his eyes are wide and watery as if they are brimming with tears.

 _Please don’t cry_ , Victor mentally pleads. His mind races to form an apology for his tactlessness and his mouth is already twisting into his irresistible smile when tears start spilling out and streaming down Yuuri’s cheeks.

At that, Victor’s mind goes blank and the half-baked apology in his head flies out of the window. He's at a complete loss when it comes to dealing with crying and comforting people.  
He shoots a panicked look at Chris, but his friend just glares back at him unhelpfully, like this is his fault.

Well, technically it _is_ his fault.

He wonders if he should pat Yuuri on the back or kiss his cheek or something when a sob escapes the young man’s lips and before he or Chis can do anything, Yuuri’s gone, leaving behind a flurry of papers which fly everywhere and scatter on every flat surface of the office.

He’s not sure if he should follow him or leave him alone but another look at Chris’s glaring face is enough to confirm that the first option is the right one. He heads for the door but there’s already someone else entering the office.

“I'm sorry Yakov,” he blurts. “This is not a good time. I need to take care of something, can you come back later?”

He tries to make his way out of the office, but Yakov stands in the doorway, blocking him.

“Can't you wait a few minutes?”, Victor huffs out, annoyed.

“I'm afraid not.” Yakov says sternly. His face is redder than usual, like he’s holding back from shouting in Victor’s face.“I need to talk to you. Privately.”

Chris takes this as his cue to leave and stands up from the floor where he had been collecting the papers, depositing them on the desk. Yakov lets him pass and closes the door after him.

“I take it that Katsuki has already shown you our findings”

“About that -”

“Have you looked at them?” Yakov cuts off impatiently.

“No, but -”

“Of course you haven’t, you idiot!” Yakov explodes.

“Do you have any idea of how much your expenses have cost your father last week?”

Yakov picks up one of the papers that Yuuri scattered before fleeing and holds it up for Victor.

Victor scans it and it’s almost comical how his eyes widen and almost bulge out like he can’t believe what he’s seeing.

 

ARMANI CLASSIC FITTED BLAZER - £ 1,295

ARMANI JACQUARD BUTTON DOWN SHIRT- £ 595

VERSACE BAROCCO PET BOWL – £ 654

SAINT LAURENT TAILORED TROUSERS - £ 735

GIVENCHY EMBROIDERED COLLAR SHIRT - £ 495

ACQUA DI PARMA EAU DE TOILETTE - £ 80

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES CHOCOPOLOGIE BY KNIPSCHILDT - £ 80

GUCCI REAR-TASSEL CHELSEA BOOTS - £ 1,300

VALENTINO LIGHTWEIGHT TRACKSUIT JACKET - £ 1,150

PRADA ROUND TORTOISESHELL SUNGLASSES - £345

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN BUCKLED LOAFERS - £ 2,200

HAIRMAX LASERBAND - £ 904

DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS FOR HAIR, SKIN AND NAILS - £ 200

[...]

The list goes on and on and on.

Victor is flabbergasted. There is no way he has spent so much in a month, right? This is much more than what he earns in three months! And he has a five-figure salary, mind you.

“And you call yourself a Finance Director!” Yakov bellows. “When you can't even keep track of your personal finances? Victor, your job is to optimise investments! How could you waste your father’s money away like this!

At first I thought that maybe it had something to do with your break up with that horrendous actor you were dating. You’ve always been so diligent and devoted to the company, so I gave you time hoping that eventually you’d come to your senses on your own, but you haven't; I was wrong. It has turned into an obsession, hasn’t it? You’re addicted to it and you have no control whatsoever.”

“I understand that you're young and you want to enjoy life and do as you please, but there are limits. If the press finds out about this, we’ll lose our credibility,” Yakov goes on. “This nonsense has to stop now, before you take your father’s legacy down with you.”

“I’m sorry Yakov," Victor argues through clenched teeth, "but last time I checked you were not in control of my personal life. You have no say in this.”

“No, he doesn’t. But I do,” a thunderous voice booms in the corridor. Victor knows that voice. He’s known that voice all his life, although he’s never heard so much anger directed at him before.

The door flies open and a man with grey hair and pursed lips steps inside. It’s his father.

Alexander Nikiforov.

He is not as tall as Victor, but he is a force to be reckoned with nonetheless. He jabs a finger at his son’s chest, and when he speaks, his voice is low with barely restrained anger.

“I settled all your debts, Vitya. I am the one who is facing the consequences of your extreme behavior. If it wasn’t for me you’d be already bankrupt and without a roof over your head. So you’d better listen to what I have to say.”

“This thing, the _shopping_ -,” at that his mouth twists disdainfully. “It has only gotten worse and it’s time we put an end to it. You’re just acting out like a spoiled child and that leaves us no choice. If we don’t take any drastic measures, this is only going to spiral out of control further.

As my son, you are to take my place as CEO and inherit my shares of the company, but I won’t simply pass them over to you, you have to earn them! Yakov and I have spent all our lives putting our efforts into this company and I will be damned if I let all my hard work and my legacy in the hands of a self-absorbed fool!”

Victor feels like he’s been punched in the gut because suddenly all the air has been knocked out of him. 

“From now on, I will keep you on a much tighter leash and unless you come out of this not only will I permanently remove you from your position, but I will also disown you, since you’re clearly not financially responsible enough to handle your inheritance. As things stand now, I’d rather see the company in the hands of Yakov’s nephew than in yours.”

This stings too because his father has just implied that he would favor a rude 15-year-old punk over his own 27-year-old son.

“Have I not been a good father to you, Vitya?” Alexander Nikiforov asks, his eyes softening a little. “What would your mother say if she saw you like this?”

Victor’s hands curl into fists at his sides. This is another low blow: his mother is a taboo topic and they never bring her up in conversation because it's too painful for them.

They both know perfectly well that if she ever knew about Victor’s problem she would blame herself. It's the reason why she has been kept in the dark about it. She already has a lot on her plate and she is on her own way to get over her drinking addiction, so she really doesn't need to stress more than she already does. 

“I may not have been the perfect father but I was always there for you and I gave you everything that you asked for. I sent you to one of the most expensive and prestigious schools in the world, I bought you a flat in Central London, I even let you advance to a senior position at 22.”

He tries to reach out for Victor’s hand, but Victor quickly snatches it away and crosses his arms.

Alexander Nikiforov’s face is unreadable for a moment, but then he reverts back to his hard-edged expression.

“Yuuri Katsuki will be in charge of analyzing your spending. He's allowed access to your bank account and he will keep tabs on your purchases and make sure that you stick to your budget. Are we clear?”

Victor’s jaw drops.

“Are you out of your mind?” he almost shouts. “Why would you involve him?! This is a private matter! And how can you trust him, he’s been with us for only three weeks! He’ll sell the details to the press the first chance he gets!”

“I will do as I see fit, Vitya. Katsuki is one of our best employees and he’s never been anything but reliable and loyal. He’s the one who created the new software we’ll be using to track your financial situation, and that’s why we chose him. I trust him completely and you should too.”

Victor fumes. He has never resented the Japanese employee more than he does in this moment.

“So pull yourself together and show me that you deserve to work here,” his father says sternly. “You have two months. And don’t test me, son. Believe me when I say that I will not hesitate to fire you and disown you.”

Victor clenches his jaw and inwardly swears that he will prove to his father that he deserves his position and that he is perfectly in control of his life.

 

\---

 

Victor is torn. He knows that fifteen minutes ago he promised his father that he is going to cut back. It wasn’t a lie, he truly intends to make good on his promise. However, the confrontation has taken a toll on him. Not only that, but the ache in his chest is worst than ever before.

There’s only one thing that is able to help him alleviate his pain on days like this.

He needs to see _her_.

He thinks about calling in sick tomorrow and hopping on a plane for a two-day trip to visit her in Zurich. He could probably be back by Thursday morning.

He’s finally made up his mind but when he tries to book a plane ticket online, a warning flashes on the screen.

“Transaction not approved.”

Frowning, he tries a few more times but then it hits him: this might have something to do with Yuuri Katsuki and the "drastic measures" his father had been talking about. Victor almost can’t believe it: they really are controlling his every move now.

Annoyance flares up inside him again. He thinks about Yuuri Katsuki, and Chris’ words come to mind: “ _He has a crush on you_ ”.

This gives him an interesting idea.

 

\---

 

Victor’s in the IT department. The room is practically empty and he can’t spot Yuuri Katsuki anywhere but then he hears a sob coming from under a desk in the back of the room.

Victor swiftly approaches it and crouches down. Yuuri is there: he’s curled up in a tight ball, his knees pressed up to his chest.

“Hey.” Victor says, softly.

Yuuri doesn’t answer. At the sound of Victor’s voice, he only retreats further into himself.

“Look, Yuuri, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said those mean things about you. I think I was just being jealous.”

Katsuki’s head jerks up, eyes wide and staring at Victor in surprise.

“W-why would you be jealous of someone like me?” he asks, disbelief in his words.

“Are you kidding me? My father treats you like the best thing that has ever happened to him and to the company and you’re saying that you haven’t even noticed?

He adores you, and he wishes I was more like you. I guess it bothered me more than I thought. I’m sorry I took it out on you.”

Victor takes a deep breath. He knows that what he’s going to do is wrong, but despite what he has just said to Yuuri, he is still feeling petty and not sorry at all. If Yuuri will keep manipulating his father, then Victor manipulating him back is only fair.

Okay, maybe his logic is twisted but he can’t bring himself to care right now. In one way or the other, he _needs_ to have Yuuri wrapped around his little finger by the end of their conversation.

He leans in close to Yuuri. If what Chris has said is true, charming his way in the man’s heart will be child’s play.

“My father’s right. You are amazing. I’ve taken a look at your work, and it’s impressive.”

Yuuri blinks, a delicious blush spreading across his cheeks, but his eyes are not as bright as usual.

“You don’t mean that,” he says, looking away.

“Of course I do.”

Victor leans in even closer until their faces are mere centimeters apart and he can feel Yuuri’s breathing speeding up. He cups Yuuri’s chin, tipping his head up and forcing him meet his gaze.

“You’re -”

The suave line he was about to recite dies on his tongue because he unexpectedly realizes that this is the closest he’s been to another person in months, ever since his breakup with his boyfriend. Yuuri’s eyes are even more lovely this close-up and his skin is warm under Victor’s touch.  
It’s actually nice.

“You’re beautiful”, he breathes, and he’s surprised because he doesn’t even have to lie.

It’s not just Yuuri’s eyes, but also his soft face, his pink lips…

He quickly cuts off that train of thought and tries to get back to the task at hand.

“I need to ask you a favor," he says. "I have to leave London for a couple of days. I’ve tried to get plane tickets online, but my payment won’t go through, and I know you're behind it. So, would you be so kind as to remove the security measures and authorize the transaction?”

“I’m sorry Mr. Nikiforov, but I can’t do that.” Yuuri murmurs.

Victor doesn't let that deter him. He raises his free hand and trails up Yuuri’s arm, eliciting a shiver from him. “Yuuri, let me have this, just this once… I promise I’ll cut back on everything else.”

“You and me, we can be a team,” he adds. “Isn’t that what you’ve always dreamed of?”

At this point, Victor is sure that Yuuri’s going to give in. However, after a short silence, the Japanese man shakes his head.

“No.”

Victor’s smile falters.

“What?”

“I’m sorry, but I really can’t," Yuuri apologizes. "I have to help you stick to your budget, and your father specifically instructed me not to make any exceptions. He is concerned about you. That is why he has trusted me with this task, and I’m going to carry it out to the best of my ability.”

Victor snatches his hand away like he’s been burned, ignoring the flash of hurt and confusion on Yuuri’s face.

“Please try to understand. This is for your own good,” Yuuri pleads.

“No, you try to understand,” Victor retorts, giving up on being charming. “I wouldn’t even be here if this wasn’t absolutely necessary. Look, I will give you a few days’ time to figure out where your loyalties lie. Choose carefully, Katsuki, you don't want an enemy out of me.”

“You mean necessary like that scarf you bought this morning? Or the gold-plated vibrator you bought last wee-” Yuuri clams a hand over his own mouth, his eyes widening in shock as if even he can’t believe what he has just said.

Victor gasps. Did Yuuri just mention last week’s _Incident_? No one, except maybe Chris, knows about the _Incident_ , because that particular item had been ridiculously expensive and had cost a small fortune (Victor has, in fact, a weakness for gold and he really couldn’t resist buying one after reading that Kate Moss had one as well).

His cheeks heat with a mix of fury, shame and embarrassment. Just how much access to his private information have they given this man?

A voice in his head says that he might be deserving of this treatment, after all the nasty things he’d said about Yuuri this morning. But Victor has never been a sensible man.

He stands up, dusting off his slacks.

“Mark my words, Katsuki,” he grits out. “You are going to regret this.”

He then stalks out the room, face hot with anger. The resentment he’s been harboring against Yuuri Katsuki has definitely skyrocketed to a whole new level.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> I’m currently looking for a beta reader, if you’re interested you can contact me on tumblr : fiaswritingblog.tumblr.com
> 
> I’m not sure when I will post the next chapter because I don’t have a fixed writing schedule, but the story is mostly planned out so hopefully it will be out in a couple of weeks (maybe more - and yes, I’m that slow of a writer XD)
> 
> One last note: I apologize for any inaccuracy you may find. I’m not an expert of finance or luxury brands and high-end products but I tried to research as much as I could.


End file.
